Head Rubbing and Licking Reinforce Social Bonds in a Group of Captive African Lions, Panthera leo

AbstractMany social animals have a species-specific repertoire of affiliative behaviours that characterise individualised relationshipswithin a group. To date, however, quantitative studies on intragroup affiliative behaviours in social carnivores have beenlimited. Here, we investigated the social functions of the two most commonly observed affiliative behaviours in captiveAfrican lions (Panthera leo): head rubbing and licking. We conducted behavioural observations on a captive group of lionscomposed of 7 males and 14 females, and tested hypotheses regarding three social functions: tension reduction, socialbonding, and social status expression. Disproportionately frequent male–male and female-to-male head rubbing wasobserved, while more than 95% of all licking interactions occurred in female–female dyads. In accordance with the socialbond hypothesis, and in disagreement with the social status expression hypothesis, both head rubbing and lickinginteractions were reciprocal. After controlling for spatial association, the dyadic frequency of head rubbing was negativelycorrelated with age difference while licking was positively correlated with relatedness. Group reunion after daily separationdid not affect the frequencies of the affiliative behaviours, which was in disagreement with the predictions from the tensionreduction hypothesis. These results support the social bond hypothesis for the functions of head rubbing and licking.Different patterns of affiliative behaviour between the sexes may reflect differences in the relationship quality in each sex orthe differential predisposition to licking due to its original function in offspring care

Three-dimensional fluorescence imaging using the transport of intensity equation

We propose a nonscanning three-dimensional (3-D) fluorescence imaging technique using the transport of intensity equation (TIE) and free-space Fresnel propagation. In this imaging technique, a phase distribution corresponding to defocused fluorescence images with a point-light-source-like shape is retrieved by a TIE-based phase retrieval algorithm. From the obtained phase distribution, and its corresponding amplitude distribution, of the defocused fluorescence image, various images at different distances can be reconstructed at the desired plane after Fresnel propagation of the complex wave function. Through the proposed imaging approach, the 3-D fluorescence imaging can be performed in multiple planes. The fluorescence intensity images are captured with the help of an electrically tunable lens; hence, the imaging technique is free from motion artifacts. We present experimental results corresponding to microbeads and a biological sample to demonstrate the proposed 3-D fluorescence imaging technique

Prevention of hypoglycemia by intermittent-scanning continuous glucose monitoring device combined with structured education in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus : A randomized, crossover trial

Aims: We conducted a randomized, crossover trial to compare intermittent-scanning continuous glucose monitoring (isCGM) device with structured education (Intervention) to self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) (Control) in the reduction of time below range. Methods: This crossover trial involved 104 adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) using multiple daily injections. Participants were randomly allocated to either sequence Intervention/Control or sequence Control/Intervention. During the Intervention period which lasted 84 days, participants used the first-generation FreeStyle Libre (Abbott Diabetes Care, Alameda, CA, USA) and received structured education on how to prevent hypoglycemia based on the trend arrow and by frequent sensor scanning (≥10 times a day). Confirmatory SMBG was conducted before dosing insulin. The Control period lasted 84 days. The primary endpoint was the decrease in the time below range (TBR; <70 mg/dL). Results: The time below range was significantly reduced in the Intervention arm compared to the Control arm (2.42 ± 1.68 h/day [10.1 %±7.0 %] vs 3.10 ± 2.28 h/day [12.9 %±9.5 %], P = 0.012). The ratio of high-risk participants with low blood glucose index >5 was significantly reduced (8.6 % vs 23.7 %, P < 0.001). Conclusions: The use of isCGM combined with structured education significantly reduced the time below range in patients with T1DM

Head rubbing and licking reinforce social bonds in a group of captive African lions, Panthera leo.

Many social animals have a species-specific repertoire of affiliative behaviours that characterise individualised relationships within a group. To date, however, quantitative studies on intragroup affiliative behaviours in social carnivores have been limited. Here, we investigated the social functions of the two most commonly observed affiliative behaviours in captive African lions (Panthera leo): head rubbing and licking. We conducted behavioural observations on a captive group of lions composed of 7 males and 14 females, and tested hypotheses regarding three social functions: tension reduction, social bonding, and social status expression. Disproportionately frequent male-male and female-to-male head rubbing was observed, while more than 95% of all licking interactions occurred in female-female dyads. In accordance with the social bond hypothesis, and in disagreement with the social status expression hypothesis, both head rubbing and licking interactions were reciprocal. After controlling for spatial association, the dyadic frequency of head rubbing was negatively correlated with age difference while licking was positively correlated with relatedness. Group reunion after daily separation did not affect the frequencies of the affiliative behaviours, which was in disagreement with the predictions from the tension reduction hypothesis. These results support the social bond hypothesis for the functions of head rubbing and licking. Different patterns of affiliative behaviour between the sexes may reflect differences in the relationship quality in each sex or the differential predisposition to licking due to its original function in offspring care

Distribution of head rubbing among all individuals.

<p>Each dyad is plotted on a plane according to the summed frequency of head rubbing given by one lion to the other, and vice versa. The cumulative number of dyads is indicated by the height.</p

Kinship in the subject group of lions.

<p>Males are indicated by underlined IDs. Siblings from the same litter are connected by vertical lines. Bold, dashed and double lines represent three different sire males. Birth years are indicated at the bottom.</p

Results of <i>Kr</i>-tests: reciprocity of licking and correlations with female–female dyadic variables.

*<p>p<0.005. Variables with “-” on the right side of the table were controlled variables in partial <i>Kr</i>-tests.</p

Distribution of licking among females.

<p>Each dyad is plotted on a plane according to the summed frequency of licking given by one lion to the other, and vice versa. The cumulative number of dyads is indicated by the height.</p

Boxplot of the frequency of head rubbing for each sex classs dyad.

<p>Bold lines indicate medians and circles denote outliers.</p